Duos Animus, Unus Pectus
by 4lter3go
Summary: Two Souls, One Heart. When the Ministry Of Magic brings in a new marriage law Hermione believes she has the perfect solution. But when all else fails, who will be there to save her? AU
1. The Headline

**DISCLAIMER:** **I do not own anything associated with Harry Potter that all belongs to the amazing JK Rowling, however the plot is mine (with some inspiration from the other fanfictions on this site) but I do not make any money from this. **

**Author's Note: This is my first fan fiction so please review and let me know your opinion on my story as it is for you that I write it. **

Chapter One – The Headline

Hermione Granger was sprawled out over the floor in front of the fire in the Gryffindor common room surrounded by various tomes and notebooks filled to the brim with her neat handwriting. The seven fifth year Gryffindors sat in the corner kept shooting the clever witch evil glares as they struggled to complete their homework squashed around a small desk. Hermione checked over the last few paragraphs of her potions essay that had been set only hours ago, smiled at her completed work and picked up the _Daily Prophet_ that had been left on an armchair. Harry and Ron clattered in through portrait hole as they returned from Quidditch practice, leaving a mess of mud, leaves and other debris in their wake. Ron chewed on a liquorice stick and offered one to Hermione as he collapsed into the armchair closest to the fire.

"Ron!" Hermione moaned and tried to wipe off the clumps of mud that Ron had sprayed all over her homework.

"Sorry 'mione." Ron said as he yawned, revealing to everyone his liquorice-gummed up teeth. Hermione shuddered in disgust at the fact that only three hours ago she had kissed the very same mouth, something she did nearly every day but with each day the decision to officially become Ron's girlfriend seemed to get more and more undesirable as Ron unwittingly revealed another flaw or 'quirk' as Hermione had forced herself to call them.

Harry saw the look Hermione had tried to cover up as she laid eyes upon Ron; a look of disgust. Harry remembered when that look had been one filled with love, kindness and possibility but since they had started to date, Ron had let himself go and shown Hermione the side of him Harry had known all along and this side didn't seem to agree with Hermione.

"What are you up to over the Christmas holidays Hermione?" Harry asked as he slid into the armchair opposite Ron.

"I was thinking of spending Christmas at Hogwarts this year. My mum and dad are in France visiting my aunt and uncle and so I thought, as I haven't spent Christmas at school before, I would stay here." Hermione said as she put down the newspaper and began to clear away her homework that still littered the floor.

"Why don't you come to The Burrow?" Ron asked grinning.

"Thank-you very much for the offer but I think that I will use the free time I have to explore the Hogwarts library. There is so much I want to read before we finish school and I just don't have enough time." Hermione laughed a little nervously. She really didn't want to spend the whole Christmas break with Ron, he would snort loudly at her jokes, he would charm mistletoe to follow her around and ,god forbid, he would expect more than kisses on their first Christmas together as a couple, but Hermione wasn't ready for that yet.

"Not even Christmas day at mine?" Ron pleaded.

"Maybe. I'll think about it. There's still three weeks left before the holidays anyway." Hermione said. She gathered up the rest of the parchment on the floor and turned to walk up to her prefects private bedroom.

"Hermione." Harry called after her. Hermione turned to look at Harry. "Have you finished with this newpaper?"

"Yes. I haven't read it, I was going to but I was interrupted by you two goons." Hermione teased, winking.

"Oh, haha." Harry replied sarcastically whilst Ron looked confused trying to work out what a 'goon' was.

Hermione walked up the stairs, skilfully balancing a mountain of parchment in her arms. She walked through her portrait hole after stating her password and dumped her homework on the desk that stood underneath the window. Hermione stared out the window at the black figure that stalked across the snow towards the lake. She knew that the figure was that of her potions professor, Severus Snape. Each day, come rain, shine, snow or sleet, Snape would stalk around the south side of the lake. Occasionally he would reach down and pick something up, Hermione could only guess he was collecting ingredients for his potions store. Once in a blue moon he would be accompanied by another professor, mostly Minerva McGonagall, but whenever this happened he walked so fast that whichever professor was brave enough to stand his constant sour mood had trouble keeping up with him and more often than not turned and walked in the other direction leaving him in the peace he seemed to crave so much.

Hermione was interrupted from her thoughts by a knocking at her portrait hole.

"Who is it?" Hermione called, she didn't want another episode of when she had assumed the caller had been Ginny and had called 'come in' and she had walked out of the bathroom dressed in a towel to find Colin Creevey sat on her bed snapping photos of her.

"Harry."

"Harry? What are you doing in the girls wing?" Hermione asked as she let him in to her room.

"Look." Harry shoved the newspaper Hermione had neglected to read earlier under her nose.

"What?" Hermione asked a little startled. Harry opened the newspaper and held it up in front of Hermione's face for her to read.

"MINISTRY BRING IN MARRIAGE LAW?" Hermione cried incredulously. She grabbed the newspaper from Harry's hands and skimmed the article.

"...law 3456...marriage law...due to decrease in wizarding births...witches and wizards to marry within two months and reproduce at least two children within three years...applies to witches and wizards aged seventeen to sixty...future spouse must be selected and approved by ministry officials to maximise wizarding births!" Hermione sunk down onto her bed.

"This can't be right, it's not fair." Hermione said to Harry. Harry shrugged.

"I don't see why the _Daily Prophet _would make this up. It's not a very funny joke." Harry said.

"Have you told Ron?" Hermione asked, it would have been too much to think about if Ron had been told.

"No I thought we would go and talk to Dumbledore first. You're the one who will be affected first, you're older than Ron and me." Harry reminded Hermione.

"Yeah." Hermione said a little dazed. "Let's go and to Dumbledore, he might be able to get us out of this."

Hermione and Harry sneaked past Ron who was still sprawled in the armchair chewing on liquorice. They walked in silence to the wall where Dumbledore's magical staircase would appear with his password. All the way there Harry could almost hear Hermione's brain whirring as her over-worked brain tried to analyse the best way out of the situation.

"Marshmallows." Harry told the wall and Hermione giggled, you could always count on Dumbledore to brighten the day.

When the stairwell had fully materialised Hermione and Harry traipsed up the stairs and knocked on the heavy wooden door that separated Dumbledore's office from the stairwell. Harry knocked loudly and they were greeted by Dumbledore's low rumbling voice.

"Come in Harry, Hermione." Harry and Hermione walked into Dumbledore's lavishly decorated office. Fawkes, his phoenix, squawked at the pair.

"I gather you are here regarding the news?" Dumbledore said knowingly.

"Yes." Harry said as they walked over to Dumbledore's desk and sat down.

"We've just read the _Daily Prophet_, is it really true? Are they really bringing in this marriage law?" Hermione asked placing the newspaper in front of Dumbledore.

"I'm afraid it is Hermione. I am exempt from the law, but I know that this will affect the majority of the staff and the older students. Including yourselves."

"Yes. Is there anything we can do to avoid this law? Has the law even been passed yet?" Hermione asked. She was the eldest out of the 'golden trio' and would therefore be affected first.

"Unfortunately, Hermione, there is nothing to be done to avoid it, the law is being passed in every country and _everybody_ within the designated ages must marry or the consequences will be severe. However, the law has not been passed yet, the law will be passed tomorrow night at 12 o'clock. From that time, as you are already seventeen, you will have two months to become engaged and then marry." Dumbledore told them. Hermione fell silent as her wonderful mind once again whirred with activity.

"I'm not seventeen yet, sir, when will this effect me? And Ron is seventeen in a couple of months but my birthday is not until next year." Harry said to Dumbledore.

"You are lucky, you have a long time to wait before you come under this new law. You will apply for this on the eve of your seventeenth birthday. Hermione, however, will be affected by this law as soon as it comes in, she will a caring friend in a time of need." Dumbledore said solemnly.

Harry nodded. Hermione jumped up from her chair like a tightly wound spring.

"You said this law doesn't come in until tomorrow night?" Hermione said looking as if she had just solved all the world's problems.

"Yes, not until 12 o'clock."

"And when this law comes in, the marriage will be unbreakable. But at the moment the marriages are still breakable?"

"Yes." Dumbledore agreed. He could see that Hermione had figured a way around being trapped in a marriage that had to be strictly monitored and must conform to ministry standards.

"Then why can't I marry this evening? I will marry someone that I won't mind spending the duration of this stupid law married to, and once the law has been repealed- which it will be- I will divorce them and then I will be free to marry whoever I wish." Hermione rushed out. She collapsed into one of Dumbledore's comfy armchairs that stood around the fire.

"I suppose that is a way around it. Yes. That is quite a well thought out idea, Hermione. You will indeed be free to re-marry if you were to marry under the current laws and your marriage wouldn't be monitored by the ministry and you wouldn't have to conform to the ghastly clauses that will be set out by this new law." Dumbledore smiled.

"Good." Hermione said looking relieved.

"Aren't you forgetting one minor detail?" Harry said, staring at the two fantastically intelligent people. "Who will you marry?"

"Ron, of course." Hermione and Dumbledore said at the same time as if it was the most obvious answer in the wizarding world.

**Please review. I will try and update every other day, but I can not promise anything xx**


	2. The Plan

**Author's Note: I would just like to say thank you to ms(dot)dm(dot) for pointing out the mistake in the title. Sorry, I don't speak latin so I used the online translator. **

**Also to all those who are worried that Hermione is marrying Ron, don't worry I don't want that to happen either. **

Chapter Two – The Plan

"Ron?" Harry asked. Only a few minutes ago he had seen Hermione shoot a look at Ron that announced to the world that she hated him. And now she wanted to marry him?

"Yes, Ron is the best choice. Not only is he my boyfriend but he and I have known each other since we were 11. Isn't it better to marry someone I know than someone I have never even met before? What if that person turns out to be awful? And this way when the marriage law is repealed I won't be stuck married to someone I don't want to be." Hermione told Harry.

"I don't think your being fair Hermione." Harry said.

"What do you mean I'm not being fair?" Hermione narrowed her eyes at her best friend.

"It's not fair on Ron."

"Not fair on Ron? When is life fair, Harry? How is this marriage law fair?" Hermione shouted at Harry.

"What I mean is that Ron really loves you. I don't think that it's fair that you are going to marry him and then break his heart when you ask for a divorce. Anyway how are you going to marry Ron tonight? He's under age." Harry asked.

"Simple. I know that Ron is under-age to get married as he is only sixteen and you have to be seventeen to be married, but if we get full permission from his parents then we can marry. And Mrs Weasley has always wanted Ron and I to get married, so I don't see a problem with getting her permission." Hermione stood up from the armchair and walked over to the window that looked over across the lake.

Harry shook his head and turned to Dumbledore.

"You have to make her see sense. She will break his heart if she goes through with this. And what if they don't repeal the marriage law? She will be stuck with him for the rest of her life and she would hate that." Harry told Dumbledore.

"Harry. Hermione knows her own mind. I cannot stop her if she wishes to go through with her plan but know this, she will need her friends behind her. There are dark times ahead Harry. But everything will work out for the best. It always does." Dumbledore told him solemnly. Harry nodded at the wise wizard. He couldn't see any way of persuading Hermione not to go through with it, he would just have to like it or lump it.

"Well then, I think you have some explaining to do to Mr Weasley." Dumbledore said dismissing them. He held open the door for the pair as they trudged out of Dumbledore's office. "Good luck Miss Granger. Return to here by seven o'clock. We will visit the Weasley's and then we will go to the ministry."

"Thank-you sir." Hermione said gratefully and turned on her heel to sprint down the corridor to the Gryffindor common room.

"Thank you." Harry told him and ran after Hermione.

Hermione returned to the common room to find that Ron hadn't moved an inch in the thirty minutes they had been out for.

"Hermione!" Ron greeted her.

"Ron. I have some news." Hermione picked up another _Daily Prophet _that somebody had left lying on the side table and handed it to Ron, who began to read the article Hermione had pointed out to him.

_MINISTRY BRING IN MARRIAGE LAW_

_The wizarding world was shocked today as the Minister For Magic- Mr Rufus Scrimgoeur- announced that he would be bringing in a new law. This new law (law 3456) means that any witch or wizard not already married and over the age of seventeen and under the age of sixty must marry a partner approved or selected by the ministry within two months and there after produce two children within three years. Mr Scrimgoeur stated "This law is being brought in to maximise wizarding births which we have witnessed a steep decline in. The partners must be approved - or in the event that a witch or wizard doesn't have a partner already one will be selected - by the ministry in order for the maximum number of children with wizarding powers to be born." _

_The Ministry have set strict guidelines for how each marriage must run. Each marriage will be closely followed by a ministry official and several charms will be placed over the couple so that the Ministry can watch each and every move the couple make. The fidelity charm will also be placed over each couple. Any breaking of the rules set out by the Ministry and there will be severe punishments. Also, unlike marriages at this current period of time, the marriages made under this new law will be unbreakable. This means that at no point can either spouse file for divorce or ask for an annulment, these marriages are for life. _

_The public were deeply disturbed by the news of the new law that will take affect tomorrow evening at 12 o'clock. Protesters have been marching up and down Diagon Alley for the majority of the morning, but these protesters were firmly dealt with and the Ministry have released a statement saying that if anyone does not agree with the new law then they should contact the Ministry complaints department and not take the law into there own hands, those who do so will be punished. _

_And what do we do if we refuse to comply to the new law? I hear you ask. Well ladies and gentlemen, the Ministry have seen fit to set severe punishments on anyone who refuses to agree with the law including eviction from the wizarding world, sentences in Azkaban and worst of all de-magicking anyone who fights against the new law. _

_However, we also received some good news. The Minister for Magic stated that the law would only last a certain amount of time until they see a rise in wizarding births. This could all be over in a matter of months but any longer than two months and the people that are affected now will be stuck in a marriage they may not want to be. Is this a good idea or has the Ministry once again been persuaded into bringing in a ridiculous law that could affect many people's lives? _

Ron finished the reading the article and shrugged.

"So?" Ron asked nonchalantly.

"So? Is that all you can say Ron?" Hermione asked, shocked at his reaction.

"Well it's probably no going to affect me. Like it says, the law will be repealed in a couple of months, probably before I turn seventeen which isn't until March and its only November." Ron told Hermione and went back to chewing a piece of liquorice.

"Ron! You may not be seventeen but I am. I turned seventeen in September, not that you even acknowledged my birthday. But I will be affected when this law comes in tomorrow night. I will be forced into a loveless marriage with someone I hardly know." Hermione told him.

"So? What do you want me to do about it? Marry you myself?" Ron asked.

Hermione turned to Harry and smiled, finally her plan was working out and she didn't even have to ask him to marry her. Harry rolled his eyes.

"Yes, that is exactly what I want you to do." Hermione told him, trying to put on a loved-up face. She grinned and battered her eyelashes at him. She hated pretending to be a silly loved-up female, but that was exactly what Ron wanted as a girlfriend and if she could convince him to marry her then her problems would be solved.

"Oh Hermione." Ron gushed out. He stood up and in doing so sprayed mud everywhere again as he still had his filthy Quidditch robes on. "I thought you were going off me. But now you want to marry me, that is great."

Hermione smiled and awkwardly returned the hug Ron was trying to give her. Hermione peered over Ron's shoulder and winked at Harry who was staring at the hugging couple. Hermione pulled out of the hug and shook Ron lightly by the shoulders.

"Ron, go and get changed. We have to ask your mother and father's permission as you are under age. This will be great news for them." Hermione said.

"What? Now?" Ron asked as if getting up and changing was the hardest job in the world.

"Yes now! What better time is there to tell your parents we're in love and want to get married." Hermione told him through gritted teeth, she hated lying.

Ron grinned and bounded up the stairs and off into the boys wing of the Gryffindor tower. Hermione turned back around to face Harry.

"See. It worked." Hermione said smugly.

"Just you wait. The whole thing will come crashing down around your ears and there will be no-one there to help you. Ron won't trust you after you break his heart and I won't support you if you hurt my best friend." Harry told her.

"I won't hurt him. As soon as the law is repealed the divorce will be quick and painless."

"You're using him Hermione. He won't forgive you for that." Harry told her and stalked up the stairs to follow Ron.

**Thanks for the reviews! Please keep them coming! xx**


	3. The Potions Professor

**Thank-you for your reviews! If you see any grammatical errors please PM me or review to let me know and I'll try to change them. **

**Please stay with me, I know a lot of you don't want Ron and Hermione to get married, and neither do I, but just wait and it will work out! I have a great storyline coming soon but in these first few chapters I just need to set the scene. **

**Penmora Zenith; I only had Hermione appear like Lavender in front of Ron so he thinks that she is still in love with him. Thanks I appreciate your reviews :D **

Chapter Three – The Potions Professor

Severus Snape walked up the stone steps and into Hogwarts school. He brushed the snow off his robes and let snowflakes fall onto the rug that decorated the entrance foyer.

"...did you hear?" A first year Ravenclaw asked his friend as they rounded the corner into the entrance foyer.

"About the Ministry? Yeah I did. I heard many of the seventh years are effected including Hermione Granger." The girl answered. Neither were watching where the were going and walked head-on into the dreaded potions professor.

"Watch where you are going you pair of dunderheads!" Shouted the angry professor as he tried to brush down his smart black robes.

"Sorry Sir." The pair chimed and looked sideways at each other trying not to giggle at being told off.

"Detention. The both of you, for careless disregard. You won't be laughing tomorrow evening when you spend three hours in detention with me." A dark smirk danced across his thin, hard lips.

"But..." The boy began but was quickly cut off by an icy glare from his Professor.

"Fifty points from Ravenclaw for insolence. Do you understand me?" Snape snapped and when the pair muttered 'yes' he spun on his heel and disappeared around the corner with a flourish and swish of his robes.

Severus carried on down the corridor and descended down the grand staircases until he reached his classroom. He stalked into the classroom, locking and warding the door behind him. Severus gracefully sank into his chair and opened the drawer that contained the _Daily Prophet. _The dreaded article lay open in front of him. He knew it had been coming. Only three days ago he had been summoned by Voldemort. At the meeting the dreadful snake-like man had revealed to the Death Eaters that he had the Ministry in his pocket and that, under his orders, they were bringing in the marriage law. Severus couldn't see the sense in bringing in the law, but Voldemort saw it as another way to get rid of weak muggle-borns. The way the law had been set out meant that the Ministry (and therefore Voldemort) had the power to decide who each person would marry. Voldemort was planning on having as many important muggle-borns as possible married into a Voldemort supporting family so that Voldemort had full control over them. There were many young muggle-born wizards and witches that were in high powered jobs such as Jayne Jades -the Minister For Magic's deputy- and Kellan O'Pierre -the Minister for Healing Potions- and if Voldemort had control over these people he could find out the Ministry's best kept secrets and even perhaps the Order's if he was lucky. However, there was one muggle-born in particular he had his eye on. One muggle-born he wanted to control more than any of them. The one muggle-born that was Harry Potter's best friend. Miss Hermione Granger. Voldemort wanted Granger married into the Malfoy family; the most powerful and well-connected Death Eater family. As per Voldemort's command, Draco Malfoy was to marry Hermione Granger. Lucius, Draco's father, had tried to contest the plan because he didn't want muggle blood dirtying his pure bloodline. Voldemort had told him that the girl wouldn't dirty his bloodline because as soon as the pair were married he would take Granger as his hostage and use her to get to Potter.

Where Voldemort got his twisted ideas from Severus would never know. Snape believed that Voldemort's plan was a dreadful one, not that he'd ever let him know that. Voldemort was causing a lot of uproar just to get to one girl and eventually one boy. What made Severus even more angry was that he would be affected by this law. Voldemort had told them that each one of his followers was to marry a muggle-born witch or wizard. This meant that within two months Snape would be married to a witch he had never seen before. A witch that would think he was evil and on the side of the dark when really he was on the side of the light and spying for Dumbledore.

Dumbledore, Snape thought suddenly. He hadn't informed the man of Voldemort's plan. Obviously Dumbledore already knew about the law but what he didn't know was that Voldemort had ordered it's passing. Snape sprang from his chair, opened the door with a flick of his wand and stalked out of the classroom down the passage way towards Dumbledore's office.

Severus arrived at the wall where the staircase would appear after he said the password.

"Marshmallows." Snape growled. Trust Dumbledore to pick a password as stupid as 'marshmallows'.

Snape took the stairs two at a time. He smiled slightly at the fact that he still could move with that much ease. Without knocking, he opened the heavy oak door and strode in. He was surprised to see the 'Golden Trio' gathered around the fireplace with Dumbledore.

"Severus, my boy, you are a just in time." Dumbledore said. "We are about to leave but we can talk on the way."

"It is extremely important." Severus stressed, ignoring the three near the fire.

"And so is this. We have some good news. Miss Granger and Mr Weasley are to be married this evening." Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling.

Severus shot a glance at Hermione and Ron, trying to cover up the surprise he felt. The boy was stupidly grinning whilst Hermione looked as if she was struggling not to cry. Whether it was out of sadness or happiness Severus didn't know.

"Congratulations." Severus said icily. He turned back to Dumbledore. "Sir. It is of the utmost importance, I need you to talk in private."

"Severus, we will talk in the morning." Dumbledore said and started for the fire.

"No." Severus snarled grabbing Dumbledore by the shoulder. Harry stood up straight and drew his wand at Snape, Hermione stared intently at her potions professor and Ron was too slow to realise anything had happened.

"Harry, put your wand away. You three go ahead to The Burrow, I will meet you there in a couple of minutes. Very well Severus, we will talk." Dumbledore said handing Harry the pot of floo-powder and shooing them into the fire.

"I'll be quick." Dumbledore told them as they disappeared into a flurry of green flames and ash.

"Albus it is extremely important." Severus said.

"Very well. However, I do not appreciate be handled in such a way Severus." Dumbledore chastised softly. Snape inclined his head, that was about as much of an apology as Snape could muster up.

"What is it you wish to tell me?" Dumbledore asked, moving over to his chair.

"I haven't had the time to tell you before but three days ago I was summoned." Snape started and walked over to the window to stare out at the quickly darkening sky.

"I saw you leave but I guessed it wasn't important as you didn't come and see me afterwards. But it appears I was mistaken." Dumbledore told him.

"Yes. At the meeting Voldemort told us that he had forced Scrimgoeur into bringing in this new law. The marriage law." Severus explained.

"So Voldemort is behind this? I thought as much. The Ministry are bad but they are not as twisted enough to bring in this law."

Severus nodded and carried on telling Dumbledore how Voldemort's plan was to marry off important and powerful muggle-borns to his followers and that way he would have control over a high proportion of the Ministry.

"Why does he only want to marry his followers to muggle borns? Surely most of them would be opposed to this as they are pure-blood? And aren't there just as many important pure-bloods as muggle-borns?" Dumbledore asked.

"He thinks that once he has finished with the muggle-borns he can dispose of them. He believes that they are more expendable than half-bloods or pure-blood wizards." Severus snarled.

Dumbledore shook his head. He stood up from his chair and Severus turned away from the window to watch the man walk to the fireplace.

"Where are you going?" Snape asked.

"To the Weasley's. Hermione and Ron are asking their permission to marry before this law comes in." Dumbledore said.

"Hermione can't marry the Weasley boy." Severus said suddenly. Dumbledore put the floo-powder pot down.

"Why not?" Dumbledore asked, his eyes narrowed into slits.

"She is the main reason Voldemort has brought in this law. He plans to have her married to Draco Malfoy and use her to get to Potter." Severus told Dumbledore.

"Then it is better that she is married to Weasley. He won't be able to marry her off then." Dumbledore said to Severus.

"No it won't be better. Voldemort _will _find a way to fulfil his plans and he would take great pleasure in having Potter's other best-friend killed."

"I still think the marriage is for the best. This way Hermione is inaccessible to Malfoy."

"Only until Voldemort has Weasley killed. Then she will be stuck in a marriage with Draco Malfoy as Voldemort's prisoner. "

"We can protect them. If you are summoned again tell Tom that Hermione has been married to Ron Weasley. Perhaps then he will realise that this law is a nonsensical idea." Dumbledore said and walked over to the fireplace, picking up a handful of floo-powder on the way.

"Tell Voldemort?" Severus repeated. Surely Dumbledore realised that it would be the death of the Weasley boy.

"Yes." Dumbledore told him with a stern face.

"Albus you underestimate Voldemort. He _will_ have the boy killed." Severus snarled.

"No, Severus, I believe _you_ underestimate _me_." Dumbledore said and disappeared in a flutter of emerald green flames, leaving a bitter Severus staring at the empty fireplace.

**Please read and review! xx**


	4. The Burrow

**I am trying to update as much as I can because I am going away for four days for my birthday on Thursday and I won't be able to check my story or update as I will be in the middle of a field in a tent! Yippee! Oh the joys of camping! **

**Thanks for all your reviews. They are much appreciated! **

Chapter Four – The Burrow

When Harry, Ron and Hermione arrived at The Burrow they were greeted by a scream from a very startled Mrs Weasley.

"Oh, you three." Mrs Weasley gushed lovingly, and playfully batted them with a rolled up newspaper. "You could have owled us to let you know that you were coming. I nearly died of shock then."

"Sorry." The trio muttered, trying to avoid Mrs Weasley's newspaper.

"Who are you talking to dear? Is it that muggle windy washer?" Mr Weasley called as he walked down the corridor and into the kitchen. "Oh, hello you three. Sit down. Harry, Hermione do you know what a windy washer is? A man came round the other day with a huge long broom asking if we wanted him to wash our windys!" Mr Weasley asked.

"Do you mean a _window _washer?" Hermione asked laughing slightly.

"Yes that was it. A _window _washer. What do they do?" Mr Weasley's face lit up like a child's in a sweet shop. Mr Weasley loved all things related to muggles, one year for christmas Hermione had given him a rubber duck and he hadn't stopped playing with it for the rest of the day.

"A window washer, washes windows. He cleans them on the outside so they are no longer dirty." Hermione told him trying to explain as clearly as possible.

"Very funny. And they use brooms for this? They fly up and wash the windows?"

"No they use ladders to reach the windows and they use brushes and cloths to clean the windows. Muggles don't fly on brooms Mr Weasley." Harry told him.

"Dad, I think your _dis-illusionment_ charms are slipping." Ron said laughing.

Molly walked over to the long, scrubbed table where they were sat and placed four mugs of tea on the table in front of them.

"What brings you here at seven o'clock on a school night? Does Dumbledore know you're here?" Molly asked sharply.

"Yes. Dumbledore should be along any minute now. We have some good news. You tell them Ron." Hermione said trying to smile sweetly at her potential in-laws.

"Hermione and I are getting married." Ron said grinning at his mother and father. For a minute silence descended upon the kitchen and all they could hear was the charmed brush in the sink washing the dishes.

"Oh, darlings." Mrs Weasley broke the silence and walked around the table to hug Hermione and Ron. Mr Weasley stared at his son, he knew the real reason for Hermione and Ron's urgency for getting married. Molly also knew about the law but she hadn't put two and two together yet.

"Why so soon? Why don't you wait another year until you graduate and then you can have a proper marriage." Molly told them as she let them go.

Hermione looked at Ron and silently willed him to tell his mother that they were just too much in love to wait. Any lie that wouldn't make the older witch realise that Hermione was just using her son. When Ron continued to grin stupidly at Hermione she turned to face Mrs Weasley.

"As I'm sure you've heard, the Ministry have brought in a new law meaning that anyone over the age of seventeen must be married within two months. I am seventeen but Ron isn't, this is why we need your permission to marry before the law comes in tomorrow evening." Hermione said as fast as she could, as if saying it quickly would make the whole thing disappear.

Mrs Weasley looked from her son to Hermione. She realised that Ron seemed happy enough but Hermione's smile was tugging at the corner of her lips in a way that told Molly that she wasn't really happy.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" Molly directed the question at Ron but Hermione answered for him.

"Of course. Ronald and I would have married anyway when we graduated but as this law is coming in, now seems just as good a time as any to get married." Hermione lied through gritted teeth. Hermione loved the women dearly. Mrs Weasley was like a second mother to her but if lying to her and cheating Ron into a false marriage was what it took to save her own skin then so be it.

Ron continued to grin like a fool. Harry frowned at his blinded-by-love friend. Couldn't Ron see that Hermione was using him.

"Ron is this what you want?" Mr Weasley asked making sure that this time Ron answered instead of Hermione.

"Yes. I love 'Mione and she loves me back. I will have to marry under this law anyway and who better to marry than Hermione?" Ron said still grinning at Hermione's face. He leant in towards Hermione for a kiss on the lips but at the last minute Hermione turned her face so that Ron kissed her hair. Ron seemed to be the only one in the room that didn't notice the way Hermione avoided his kiss, he just giggled and took a loud gulp of his tea.

"Very well." Mr Weasley sighed and pulled out his wand and swirled it around Ron and an awkward looking Hermione. "We, Arthur and Molly Weasley, give full permission for our son Ronald Weasley to marry Hermione Granger." A string of yellow light glowed around Hermione and Ron's head before dissolving into thin air. Hermione smiled, she had managed to get her own way.

Suddenly Dumbledore tumbled into the room covered in ash from the fireplace.

"Good evening Molly, Arthur." Dumbledore greeted them politely.

"Hello Albus. I guess you have heard the good news that Hermione and Ron are to be married." Molly gushed out warmly as she poured another cup of tea and offered Dumbledore a slice of home-made pumpkin cake. Dumbledore accepted the cake and sat next to Harry at the table.

"Yes, and great news it is to." Dumbledore said as his eyes twinkled at Ron and Hermione.

Soon the whole table was chattering and laughing at the stories Arthur was telling about his work at the Ministry. When no-one was watching Harry turned to Dumbledore.

"What was so urgent that Professor Snape had to tell you at that moment?" Harry asked. He hated to pry but if the information Snape had for Dumbledore was that urgent it must have been very important.

Dumbledore looked at the young wizard for a moment. He didn't know whether or not to tell him what Snape had said. Dumbledore didn't believe that Voldemort would successfully kill Ron and capture Hermione but maybe Harry should be warned just in case.

"Shall we talk somewhere a little more quietly?" Dumbledore asked as he stood up. "Please excuse us, Harry and I have some talking to do."

"Professor." Hermione called before he could walk out the back door and into the garden. "When will we go to the Ministry?"

"After we return. We will only be a few minutes." Dumbledore said as he walked out the back door behind Harry. Harry walked over to the stone bench that stood on the opposite side of the garden and sat down, watching Dumbledore slowly amble towards him. Dumbledore sat down beside him.

"What did Snape say?" Harry asked impatiently.

"He said that Voldemort planned to use Hermione against you and if she married Ron then Voldemort would kill Ron." Dumbledore said bluntly.

Harry was silent for a moment, he didn't know what to say.

"Where did Snape hear this?" Harry asked finally

"He has his sources." Dumbledore told him in a voice that implied that Harry shouldn't ask any more about where Snape learned this information.

Harry nodded slowly.

"But if you think that that would happen you wouldn't let Hermione and Ron get married, would you?"

"No. I believe that Severus over exaggerates at times and he often has a quite dramatical flare. No I wouldn't let any of you do anything that could put you in potential danger. If anything, I think that this marriage will be safer for Miss Granger as she will be inaccessible to Voldemort if he tries to use the marriage law against her."

"So Voldemort is behind this new law?" Harry asked.

"I believe so, yes." Dumbledore said.

Silence filled the space between them and Harry looked back to the house. Through the window he could see Ron trying to slide his arm around Hermione's shoulders but she kept batting him away like an annoying fly. Harry laughed slightly.

"Don't worry m'boy. I will let no harm come to your friends and most especially, you. We better head back, Hermione will be getting impatient."

Dumbledore and Harry walked across the wet grass, all the while watching the scene inside the rickety house. They both laughed as Hermione deflected yet another one of Ron's kisses.

"I believe Ronald really loves Hermione." Dumbledore told Harry.

"I know. It's a shame she doesn't return the feelings. They would make a lovely husband and wife. Ron could make her really happy if she just let him." Harry more told himself than Dumbledore.

**Please review xx**


	5. The Ministry

Chapter Five – The Ministry

Dumbledore and Harry walked into the warm kitchen. Hermione, Ron and Mr and Mrs Weasley were gathered around the kitchen table laughing over another one of Mr Weasley's work stories.

"Hermione, Ron. Are you ready to go?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes." They answered at the same time. They stood up and walked over to the fireplace.

"Are you going back to Hogwarts?" Mrs Weasley asked. Dumbledore looked at Ron and Hermione.

"No. We are going to the Ministry to get married." Ron told his parents.

"This evening?" Mr Weasley asked.

"Yes." Hermione said sharply.

"Don't you at least want to sleep on this? Haven't you only just decided to get married?" Mr Weasley protested. Hermione could see that he wasn't keen on Ron and Hermione marrying.

"No. We have made the decision to get married and why wait?" Hermione asked defiantly.

"Ron may change his mind." Mr Weasley challenged. Everyone in the large kitchen turned to stare at Ron. Hermione stared at him intently, silently willing him to say something.

"I won't change my mind." Ron said finally and Hermione let out a breath she didn't realise she was holding.

"See?" Hermione said, silently challenging Mr Weasley. Mrs Weasley stared at her husband and whacked him on the arm.

"Are you going to the Ministry straight away?" Mrs Weasley asked Ron, calmly.

"Yes, the marriage department should still be open." Dumbledore answered trying to break the tense atmosphere.

"We will come with you. We can't miss our youngest son's wedding. Even if it is rushed and a last minute thing." Molly said shooting a glare at Hermione. Hermione ignored her.

After much dilly dallying, Dumbledore, Harry, Hermione, Ron and Mr and Mrs Weasley climbed into the kitchen fireplace and travelled via the floo network to the Ministry. They walked out into the vast entrance place. The Ministry was eerily quiet as the six witches and wizards walked through, they followed the signs to the Marriage Department and Mr Weasley started talking to the woman behind the glass counter.

"Hello Julia." Mr Weasley said politely.

"Good evening Arthur. What are you doing here this late?" The young witch seemed happy to talk to someone.

Mr Weasley grabbed Hermione and Ron by the arms and tugged them forward.

"My son wishes to be married. This evening."

"I'm sorry Arthur, but we are extremely busy at the moment with the new law being passed tomorrow and all." Julia rearranged some pieces of paper on her and glanced sideways at the clock.

"It is very important to me. My son is very much in love with this young lady and the marriage law means that they won't be able to marry. So you see that this marriage must go ahead tonight." Mr Weasley stressed.

"Very well, Arthur. I will see what I can do, but I cannot promise anything." Julia told him as she picked up a piece of paper that, when she finished writing on it, folded itself into an aeroplane and shot off down the hallway, out of sight. A moment later it returned. Julia unfolded it and read it. She shook her head.

"Well? What does it say?" Arthur asked impatiently.

"I'm sorry. They say that there is no minister available to perform the ceremony." Julia told him. Arthur started to get angry, surely they could find someone.

"There is no-one at all?" Arthur asked angrily.

"I'm afraid n..." Julia began but was cut off mid sentence by Dumbledore.

"There is no need for a minister. I am qualified to perform wedding ceremonies." Dumbledore told them.

"Well why didn't you tell us that before?" Hermione asked

"You would still have needed Mr and Mrs Weasley's permission. And unfortunately I do not carry around the necessary documents to perform a marriage." Dumbledore answered Hermione's question and then turned to Julia. "Julia, would you please draw up a marriage contract for Miss Granger and Mr Weasley to sign."

Julia nodded and within five minutes she had drawn up a marriage contract.

"Now, do you have a room we can use to perform the marriage." Dumbledore asked Julia.

"Yes, third door on your left." Julia told him pointing in the direction of a corridor.

"Thank you."

Dumbledore walked into the modernly decorated office room and placed the contract on the table.

"Would you like to read the contract first?" Dumbledore asked.

"No." Hermione replied at the same time as Ron said "Yes."

"No I would like to use the traditional marriage contract that is drawn up already, I do not wish to change it." Hermione said sternly.

"I wish to change one detail." Ron said very seriously. " I would like to have a _fidelity_ charm placed over us both."

"I WON'T CHEAT ON YOU!" Hermione shouted incredulously.

"Better to be safe than sorry." Ron said.

Hermione was fuming. The whole point to this marriage was so that she didn't have to be stuck in a strict marriage with rules blocking her every move. But this marriage to Ron would be better than a marriage to anyone else. So what if she had to stay abstinent for a few months? It wasn't as if she had men throwing themselves at her feet. She could handle a few months, and if worst come to the worst she always had Ron. Hermione cringed at the thought.

"Fine. Let's get on with this." Hermione replied finally. Harry frowned at his friends tone of voice but let the ceremony proceed.

"Repeat after me." Dumbledore told them. "I, Miss Hermione Granger, do wed Mr Ronald Weasley. I promise to be faithful to him and share everything I have with him. "

Hermione repeated through gritted teeth and signed the marriage contract.

"I, Mr Ronald Weasley, do wed Miss Hermione Granger. I promise to care for her and provide for her." Dumbledore said for Ron.

Ron repeated his words and grinned like a fool, whilst signing the contract.

"I pronounce you witch and wizard. You may kiss the bride." Dumbledore said joyfully.

Hermione watched Ron's blotchy face come closer and closer until his sloppy lips connected with her dry one's. Hermione grimaced but knew for appearance sake that she would have to just withstand it. Around them, everybody else was clapping and Harry wolf-whistled. Ron broke off the kiss and turned to his family with a stupid grin stretching across his face. Hermione gave a small smile when Dumbledore patted her on the back.

A little while later Ron, Hermione, Harry and Dumbledore parted ways with Mr and Mrs Weasley and flooed from the Ministry to Dumbledore's office.

"Hermione, Ron, please sit down we have something to discuss." Dumbledore told them as he held the door open for Harry. Harry walked out, turning back to look at his friends.

"Go Harry. We will see you later." Hermione told him. Harry nodded and closed the door.

"The matter I wish to discuss with you is your living arrangements." Dumbledore said awkwardly, settling down in his comfy-looking chair. "You will stay in your separate rooms until you have graduated. Also, whilst you are here there will be no...coupling. It is against school rules."

Ron groaned and Hermione sighed in relief.

"Mr Weasley. Do you understand me?" Dumbledore asked sternly.

"Yes sir." Ron said begrudgingly.

"Very well. Also, Hermione would you prefer to stay as Hermione Granger or would you like to change to Hermione Weasley?" Dumbledore said clearing his voice.

"I wish to stay as Hermione Granger. The less people that find out about our marriage, the better." Hermione told him. Dumbledore smiled weakly and Ron ignored his new wife's biting comment.

"That is fine." Dumbledore said as he walked across his office and opened the heavy door for them. "Goodnight. I will see you tomorow at breakfast."

"Goodnight." Hermione and Ron said at the same time.

"Oh, one last thing. Congratulations." Dumbledore said as he closed the door. Hermione rolled her eyes and strode down the stairs and off towards the Gryffindor common room.

**Please review xx**


	6. The Dark Lord

**Thanks for your great reviews! Don't worry, Ron won't be with Hermione for long! Ooops! Did I give something away? Unfortunately, you may have to wait a little time before the next chapter as I am off on holiday at four am tomorrow! Who goes camping at four am on a friday morning? My family apparently! Enjoy!**

Chapter Six – The Dark Lord

Severus Snape could feel a migraine creeping up on him. He sank into his black leather armchair and massaged his temples with his long, elegant fingers. This evening the marriage law had come in. However, Miss Granger and Mr Weasley had managed to avoid it by marrying the day before. The school and therefore the student's parents had somehow been informed of their marriage and the teachers had been receiving howlers all day. Most of them were referring to the inappropriateness of the situation and how students should not be allowed to marry whilst still at Hogwarts. Snape had scoffed over the letters as the parents were being very hypocritical. Didn't they realise that under the new law nearly half of the older students would be forced to get married whilst still at school? However, there had been one letter in particular that had stuck in Snape's mind; from one Lucius Malfoy. It had screamed at Snape whilst he was teaching a class and Snape had been forced to trap it in his desk drawer. Later that day he had returned to read it, it said simply 'He will not be happy. This has ruined the arrangement. Don't worry, I will deal with this minor problem.'

The idea that Snape could be virtually signing the Weasley boy's death certificate drifted around his mind. Dumbledore's biggest flaw was underestimating The Dark Lord's mind. What Dumbledore didn't realise was that both men's minds worked in the same way. If Voldemort thought of something, Dumbledore would think the exact opposite and both men underestimated the other.

Suddenly Snape felt a searing pain shoot through his arm. Severus gasped and clutched his arm to his chest. He was being summoned. Severus stalked around his quarters collecting his Death Eater's robes whilst trying to ignore the pain that was coursing through his body. When Snape was finally ready to leave he touched his wand to the ugly mark that scarred his creamy skin and apparated.

Severus found himself in a large field. This worried Snape. The only time they met in a field was when Voldemort wanted to punish one of his followers. Snape just hoped it wasn't him. Severus walked cautiously towards the circle of black clad witches and wizards, although he couldn't tell who was who as they were all wearing masks.

"Severus." Voldemort hissed.

"My Lord." Severus said as he knelt on the cold, wet floor in front of the snake-like man.

"Rise." Voldemort commanded coldly.

Severus stood up and stepped backward to join the circle.

"Now we are all present. I will begin." Voldemort told them as he wandered around the inside of the circle. "As you know, the weak and inefficient Ministry have decided to bring in our new law. This law was brilliantly thought up by myself to maximise our power. However, I have recently learnt that one of you let a marriage go ahead. This marriage has ruined my arrangement. And who is this person I hear you ask. Severus Snape."

Severus cringed inwardly. A murmur went around the circle but was quickly cut off by Voldemort raising his hand in the air. Severus remained silent but stepped forward. He knew what was coming.

"_Crucio_" Voldemort shouted and Snape fell to the ground. His limp body contorted and shuddered until Voldemort withdrew his wand.

The circle of Death Eaters were quiet. Each scared for their own safety.

"Severus." Voldemort hissed again as he kicked Snape's flaccid body.

"Yes my lord." Snape grunted as he tried to control the pain that was threatening to take over his body.

"Why did you let this marriage go ahead?" Voldemort hissed.

"I didn't. I didn't know about it." Snape lied through gritted teeth.

"Liar!" Voldemort said as his bare foot came into contact with Snape's face. Severus heard his nose crack and he felt a warm liquid dribble down his face. Snape rolled over and stared up at the sky. Beautiful oranges and reds decorated the sky. Off in the horizon the inky blue sky threatened to give way to the darkness that would soon envelop the world.

"I will ask once more, why did you let the marriage go ahead?"

"I didn't know about it." Snape lied again.

Voldemort laughed. A haunting, cold and hollow cackle that sent shivers up the spines of his followers. The laughing ceased and the assault upon Severus commenced. Voldemort kicked and cut and _crucioed_ until Snape was barely breathing. Severus knew however that Voldemort wouldn't kill his only spy. No, instead he would torture him until Severus learnt never to betray him again. But Severus never learnt, he would go back to Dumbledore and tell him what Voldemort planned to do. Dumbledore used him and so did Voldemort. He was controlled by two powerful wizards, Severus could never be his own man. Severus contemplated letting the numb darkness overtake him but he knew he had to keep fighting, if not for himself then for the Lily. It was all for Lily.

Suddenly, Voldemort stopped. Severus was thankful for the peace. His body hurt in every place imaginable and he could feel blood soaking through his outer robes. The mask, that had long been knocked off, lay next to him covered in a smattering of his blood.

"I am beginning to question where your true loyalty lies. I need proof of your loyalty, Severus." Voldemort snarled.

"Anything." Severus groaned. But he hoped it wasn't just anything. He had killed people, tortured people and used the _unforgivable curses _in the past but he didn't know if he could still do that now.

"Deal with the problem." Voldemort said simply.

"How?" Severus knew he meant the marriage but he didn't know what Voldemort wanted him to do.

"Kill Weasley." Voldmort said coldly.

Severus glanced up at the snake-like man who's twisted ideas had ruined half of Snape's life. He was only there to protect the last remaining part of Lily that walked the earth; Harry Potter. But destroying Potter's best friend wasn't protecting him. It was one thing to tell Voldemort about Weasley and Granger's wedding but to kill him himself was a whole different matter.

"I can't." Severus managed to stammer.

"Do it. Otherwise you will once again find yourself at the end of my wand and this time I will not be so tolerant." Voldemort hissed. He drew his wand again. "_Crucio_."

Severus' body convulsed and before he had stopped twitching Voldemort had disappeared along with the rest of the Death Eaters leaving Severus alone in a field to die.

Severus had to keep fighting though if not for himself then for Lily. He used all the remaining strength in his body to apparate to the gate of Hogwarts. Severus drifted out of consciousness laid on the floor staring longingly through the gates up to Hogwarts school.

**I apologise for the short chapter but I felt this was a good place to leave it for the weekend. Please review and I'll be back soon to update :D xx**


	7. The Newly Weds

**Sorry for the long wait but I have been so busy and I had a small bit of writer's block, but I'm cured now thanks to watching Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince. **

**Enjoy :D**

Chapter Seven – The Newly Weds

Hermione shivered and pulled her dressing gown around her. She was sat in the Gryffindor common room, curled into the armchair closest to the fire. Hermione was watching the orange, red and blue flames dance over the logs and lick at the metal grate. It had been a hectic and stressful few days. She had got married less than three days ago and today the marriage law had come in. Somehow the whole school had found out about her and Ron's marriage and she had been receiving angry letters from parents all day. She was beginning to realise that she wasn't exactly thinking clearly when she had...proposed to Ron, Hermione had been caught up in the stress of the new marriage law and jumped into the first solution she had thought of. Hermione didn't feel as if she had recently married, her so called husband was her best-friend but all he did was drawl over her.

The ancient grandfather clock chimed, letting Hermione know that it was 11:30. She was the only person in the common room even Seamus, who tried to stay up the latest every night in a strange kind of competition the boys had going, had gone to bed hours ago. Hermione had tried going to sleep but the half-awake state she had fallen into had been haunted with images of howlers and Ron's leering smile. So instead she decided to try completing the homework she had piling up, but unusually that couldn't keep her attention. That was how she ended up in the armchair, in the Gryffindor common room, all alone.

Her peace was shattered when Ron, bleary eyed and half asleep, stumbled down the spiral stone staircase and flopped into the armchair opposite her. Ron smiled at her.

"Hello wife." Ron said yawning. Hermione grimaced.

"Hello Ronald." Hermione replied, watching him closely.

"What cha doin' down here?" Ron asked.

"I couldn't sleep." Hermione said shortly.

Ron grunted in reply and fixed his gaze on the fire in the grate. Silence descended upon the newly-weds. Ron eventually broke the silence.

"You know we are married now..." Ron told Hermione, a smirk stretched across his face.

"I am aware." Hermione replied cautiously, she didn't like the way Ron was looking at her.

"Well, what do regular married couples do a lot?" Ron asked standing up. Hermione knew exactly what he was hinting at. She stood up.

"Umm...cook together?" Hermione asked, playing dumb.

"No silly." Ron said as he lunged towards Hermione. He grabbed her face in his hands and began to kiss her. First on her nose and then on her chin and finally Ron's lips came into contact with hers. Hermione shoved Ron as hard as she could, he landed on his backside inches away from the fire.

"Wh...what?" Ron asked, looking up at a furious Hermione with a bewildered look on his face.

"Don't touch me." Hermione spat, a little harsher than she meant to sound but her tone of voice let Ron know she wasn't to be messed with. Ron stood up. His confusion began to change to anger as he realised what was going on.

"You never married me for love did you?" Ron asked angrily.

"Love." Hermione laughed humourlessly.

"Harry told me you were using me, but I couldn't believe. I never thought you could be so cold Hermione Granger. You know I love you with all my heart and to hurt me like this, I thought you were above that. It appears I was wrong." Ron shouted. Hermione's blank face gave away no emotions.

"I'm not being cold. I'm being sensible. I did what I did so that I wouldn't have to marry a stranger chosen by the Ministry. Surely you of all people wouldn't want me married to anyone. I did what I did to survive, something I have learnt to do very well since I've been friends with you and Harry."

"Don't blame this on Harry and you-know-who. This is down to you. You are selfish and I had chosen not to notice it before, but you have shown me your true self Hermione. I just didn't know you could be so cold towards me, Ron, your best friend. And the boy who loved you." Ron told her quietly. He glanced at Hermione who had her back to him. She was staring at the fire as if it was the most interesting thing she had ever seen. Ron turned away from her and walked slowly up the stairs. He stopped and glanced back. Hermione turned around to face him.

"You said surely I wouldn't want you marrying anyone. You're right, like always. I didn't want you marrying just anyone, I wanted you to marry me." Ron whispered and walked away, back up the spiral staircase and into the boys dormitory.

"Ron." Hermione whispered at his retreating form. A single tear trickled down her face. She hadn't wanted to hurt him like that. Hermione roughly swiped the tear away and pulled her dressing gown around her tighter. She needed some fresh air.

Hermione walked out portrait hole and, as quietly as possible, tip-toed down the various staircases and out into Hogwarts ground. The frigid air nipped at her bare legs. She looked down and realised she was still wearing her skimpy nighty her aunty had given her for her sixteenth birthday. Her red and gold slippers were covered in snow and mud and her dressing gown was too short and thin for her to be stood outside on a winter night in the Scottish mountains.

Hermione decided to return to the cosy warmth of her bedroom and turned around when she reached the front gates of the school. She glanced out at the free world and sometimes wished she could be out there rather than cooped up inside a school. A loud moan made her jump. Her eyes darted all around her in panic. Surely Voldemort wouldn't try to attack the school at this hour. Would he? She glanced once again out the gates and saw a crumpled black figure trying to sit up.

Hermione didn't know what to do. Her caring side was telling her to help the person crumpled on the floor but her intelligent side was telling her to get the hell out of there and that the person might just be a trap. She watched the figure slump over again in an attempt to stand, her caring side came into play and she rushed to the gates. She realised that the person was indeed a man. The man looked familiar but in the darkness she couldn't tell if she knew him or not.

"Hello." Hermione called in a hushed voice, still wary of any lurking threats. When the figure didn't move she called out to him again. Finally the figure turned over to face his rescuer. Hermione gasped, through the blood on his face she could clearly make out the large nose and the pale skin of Professor Snape.

"Professor." Hermione said pressing up against the gates. She didn't know how to open them, so all she could do was watch her potions professor die in front of her.

"Granger." Snape gasped.

"Sir?" Hermione asked trying to reach through the gates to touch him.

"Get...Dumbledore." Snape hissed at her as he gasped in pain.

"Now?" Hermione asked stupidly. Snape shot her an icy glare and went back to grasping at his chest where a pool of blood had collected.

Hermione realised she had asked a stupid question. She used her wand to cast her patronus and watched as the small otter leapt into the air and off towards the castle.

"Quick." She whispered at the animal and turned her attentions back to her professor.

"Sir?" Hermione asked, his body had seemed to have stopped moving and Hermione was worried he was going to die.

"What?" Snape hissed.

"I thought you were dead." Hermione told him as she slumped down against the gates in relief. She had seen too much death for her seventeen years and she didn't wish to be the only one to witness Snape's death.

"Not yet. Don't worry you will still get your potions homework." Snape hissed.

Hermione smiled. It seemed as if even on his death bed Snape could still keep up his sarcastic and hateful façade. Hermione drew her wand out of her dressing gown pocket and attempted to stop the bleeding.

"Keep still." Hermione muttered as she drew her wand over the worst of Snape's wounds. She watched the tissue and skin knit itself back together until all that was left were huge slits in his black robes where the spells had sliced him. Snape seemed to still be in pain so Hermione cast a pain-dulling spell over him. He sat up against the gates as Hermione was doing. An awkward silence descended upon them.

"Can you tell me what happened?" Hermione asked him quietly. Severus glanced at her with a thoughtful look on his face. Finally he shook his head.

"No." Snape told her.

"I understand." Hermione had had to hide plenty from Harry to stop him from worrying and she was pretty sure Harry had to keep things from her and Ron.

Severus and Hermione watched as three figures tiredly stumbled over the rough ground towards them. Dumbledore, McGonagall and Madame Pomfrey fussed around the pair. Dumbledore opened the large gates with a flick of his wand and closed them quickly afterwards. Madame Pomfrey checked over Snape whilst McGonagall talked to Hermione.

"What happened?" McGonagall asked sternly.

"I found Professor Snape on the floor outside the gates, he told me to get Dumbledore, so I did and then I used my wand to heal some of his wounds." Hermione told her.

"What are you doing out of bed so late?"

"I couldn't sleep." Hermione watched Professor McGonagall give her a disapproving glare but was relieved when she realised she wasn't going to be punished.

"Hmmm...Well if it wasn't for your inability to sleep Severus may not have survived." Professor McGonagall told her. Hermione nodded, she was tired now. Her eyelids began to feel heavy and every movement seemed to take up all her energy.

Dumbledore and McGonagall supported Snape as they walked back up to the school. Hermione walked behind them with Madame Pomfrey.

"You did a very good job, he wouldn't have survived if you hadn't found and healed him." Pomfrey told her.

"I'm just happy to help." Hermione said tiredly but smiled at the matron. Madame Pomfrey smiled back and wrapped her thick cloak around Hermione's shivering body. Pomfrey tutted disapprovingly at Hermione's attire but didn't say anything.

Hermione followed Dumbledore, McGonagall and Pomfrey into the hospital wing where Dumbledore led Snape to a bed.

"Really, I do not need to be here. Let me return to my quarters. I have all I need there." Snape protested as Pomfrey brought him over three vials full of a sickly green potion.

Hermione smiled to herself as she watched Pomfrey try to force feed Snape the potion.

Dumbledore and McGonagall were whispering to each other in the corner of the ward and Madame Pomfrey was checking her potions store.

Hermione walked over to the bed where Snape was sat upright, refusing to lie down. She sat next to him on the bed and looked at his face. Really looked. The pale skin was scarred with faint pale lines that Hermione was sure had come from attacks similar to the one he had suffered tonight. There was dried blood still stuck to the side of his face. Hermione licked her thumb and moved it to hover over the blood. Severus nodded his consent and closed his eyes as Hermione's soft hand caressed his cheek and wiped away his blood. Suddenly Hermione realised what she was doing.

Abruptly she stood up and turned to face Snape.

"Sorry." She muttered, embarassed, and walked out of the hospital ward.

"Don't be." Snape whispered at her retreating form.

**Please read and review xx**


	8. The Potions Lesson

Chapter Eight – The Potions Lesson

Hermione was awoken by the sound of people running in the corridor outside her bedroom. She groaned and rolled over in bed. Blindly, she fumbled around on her bedside table trying to find her wristwatch. Finally she found it and glanced at the time. It was 1:35. Hermione flopped back down on her pillow and curled up into a ball. Who would be running in the hallways at one o'clock in the morning?

Suddenly Hermione realised it wasn't the morning but the afternoon. She sprang out of bed and wrenched open the curtains letting the cold winter sun fill the dark room. Hermione grabbed yesterdays robes and skirt, pulled a fresh blouse out of her cupboard and rushed around the room trying to get ready. How had she slept so late? Every morning she would wake up at exactly six thirty, meaning she had plenty of time to dress, shower and finish any homework and on the odd occasion she didn't wake up Ron and Harry would always be there at her door to wake her up.

Ron. Memories from last night and early this morning flooded back to her as she attempted to tame her unruly hair. She had had an argument with Ron and stormed out to get some fresh air and found Snape on the floor outside the gates. She put her head in her hands as she remembered being in the hospital wing with him. Hermione remembered how she had touched his unexpectedly soft face and then rushed out when she realised what she was doing.

Hermione glanced at her watch again. 1:45. Hermione's stomach rumbled as she realised she had missed lunch by a quarter of an hour. Surely Ron and Harry had realised she wasn't at breakfast, lunch or in any of her lessons today. Hermione knew they were avoiding her and being spiteful in letting her sleep away half her day. Ron had probably told Harry about last night, but knowing Ron he probably would have exaggerated and made the situation seem worse than it really was.

Hurriedly, Hermione picked up her bookbag, shoved her books in the bag and rushed out her private bedroom and through the Gryffindor portrait hole. Hermione fumbled with her daily planner as she ran down the grand staircase. She pulled out her timetable and saw she had Potions. Darn it! Hermione thought. She was late. If she had had Transfiguration with McGonangall she would have let Hermione off but Snape seemed to enjoy handing out detentions, especially to Gryffindors and not to mention Harry Potter's friends.

Hermione sprinted the last stretch of the corridor, down into the dungeons. She prayed to God that Snape had taken the day off due to his injuries from the night before. Her prayers went unanswered as she reached the doorway to the classroom.

"Weasley. Where is your friend, Granger?" Hermione heard Snape's rich deep voice call.

"I don't know Sir." Ron muttered.

Hermione burst through the door and rushed to her seat at the front of the classroom next to Ron. Ron didn't look up as she slumped into her chair.

"Miss Granger, how nice of you to grace us with your presence." Snape remarked snidely.

"I'm sorry. I overslept. I am tired." Hermione said as she pulled out her parchment.

"Perhaps you should refrain from staying up late." Snape challenged. Hermione spluttered, if she hadn't been up so late the evil man, who was now terrorising her, wouldn't be alive. Snape raised an eyebrow as if he was silently challenging her to fight back.

"Sorry Professor, it won't happen again." Hermione mumbled looking back to her parchment.

Snape stalked to the front of the classroom and used his wand to write the instructions up on the blackboard. Hermione was surprised he hadn't given her a year worth of detention.

"Today you will begin by concocting a potion used in healing and then you will do a short essay on the advantages versus the disadvantages of the dreamless sleep potion. No talking. Begin." Snape told them as he used his wand to make all the ingredients needed for their potions appear in front of them.

Hermione got to work straight away. She didn't need to follow the instructions as she could make this potion in her sleep. Hermione glanced behind her to where Neville Longbottom was having trouble finely slicing the juniper root.

"Hold it in you left hand, it makes it easier to cut." Hermione hissed at him, trying to avoid the eye of Professor Snape who was striding around the classroom complimenting his Slytherins and terrorising Hermione's fellow Gryffindors.

Hermione glanced sideways at Ron who usually sat as close to her as possible but today he was perched on the far end of the bench.

"Ron." Hermione whispered softly.

Ron turned his head around further.

"I know you can hear me, please don't ignore me. I'm sorry." Hermione said a little louder this time so that she knew he could definitely hear her.

"Ron." Hermione persisted, a little angry now.

"Miss Granger." Hermione heard Snape's silky voice say her name behind her. "Did I give you permission to talk?"

"No Professor." Hermione asked casting her eyes towards her cauldron.

"And did I give you permission to help Longbottom?" Snape asked.

"No Professor." Hermione replied, by now she was very pissed. If Ron hadn't of ignored her she wouldn't have been caught by Snape.

"Well, obviously the know-it-all can't follow instructions clearly." Snape commented snidely. A few Slytherins snickered, but that didn't affect Hermione, what did hurt her was when Ron and Harry snickered along with the Slytherins. Hermione looked up. Severus glanced sideways at Ron and Harry with a slightly confused look on his face but turned back to Hermione with blank features.

"Fifty points from Gryffindor for ignoring my instructions and you can come and see me at seven this evening for a detention." Snape smirked, spun on his heel and strode back up to his desk, his black robes billowing gracefully out behind him.

"What? A detention for talking and keeping Neville from blowing us all up? Draco has been gossiping all the way through this lesson and, I don't know about you, but I do not want to be covered in a disgusting green potion again." Hermione said incredulously. Neville turned an unflattering shade of red and Draco stared daggers at Hermione.

"Miss Granger." Snape warned.

"No, you can't treat me like that. It's unfair." Hermione protested, banging her fist on the table as she stood up.

"Unfair? Seeing as you walked in late, didn't apologise properly, ignored my instructions and helped your friend cheat on an exam potion I think I am being extremely fair." Snape snapped at Hermione. She could see anger welling up inside him, but she was on a roll and couldn't bring herself to stop shouting at him whatever the consequences.

"I don't think you know the meaning of fair, you awful man." Hermione shouted, by now the whole class was staring slack jawed at the exchange between the goody-two-shoes and the evil professor.

"Miss Granger I suggest you hold your tongue. It doesn't matter how tired you are, it doesn't give you reason to shout at me in such a disrespectful manner." Snape spat, giving Hermione his iciest glare.

"I wonder why I am tired?" Hermione asked. She smirked as she watched Snape's face flash with an emotion she couldn't quite put her finger on; either anger, shock or worry, perhaps a mix of the three.

"I do not wish to know what you get up to after dark Miss Granger." Snape hissed. Ron sniggered and Snape shot him a glare.

"Would you like to join Miss Granger in detention tonight, you're newly-weds I hear. Surely you should be doing everything together." Snape smirked and it was Draco Malfoy and his cronie's turns to snigger.

"No Sir." Ron mumbled. Hermione decided she had had enough, she grabbed her bookbag that was slumped against the bench leg, spun on her heel and stalked out of the classroom, slamming the door hard behind her. She sprinted down the hallway, ignoring the bellows coming from Snape.

Hermione reached the end of the corridor and slumped against the wall, breathing deeply. She had never been so disrespectful to a professor before and she had most definitely never ran out of a lesson before. What had she been thinking? Hermione giggled nervously. Her nervous giggle turned into a full blown laughing fit and soon she was on the floor holding her sides and laughing uncontrollably. Laughing like a mad woman.

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	9. The Prophecy

Chapter Nine – The Prophecy

Hermione hurried back to the Gryffindor common room, trying to avoid any patrolling teachers. She tried to suppress a giggle as she once again remembered how she had stormed out of Snape's classroom and had lived to tell the tale. She was just thankful that she didn't have potions for another two days, hopefully Snape would have calmed down over the weekend and she would be able to get away with it.

Shit! Hermione stopped abruptly, she just realised that she had got a detention with Snape this evening. Hermione walked slowly the rest of the way back trying to think of ways to get out of the detention. When she finally reached the common room each idea she came up with seemed stupider than the last. She had no hope, Hermione would have to attend the detention with him. Merlin only knows what he was going to make her do, scrubbing cauldrons didn't seem a harsh enough punishment for someone skipping a lesson.

Hermione collapsed in her favourite armchair by the fire. She was so tired she could feel her eyelids drooping and eventually she was overtaken by fatigue and dropped off into a deep sleep.

oOoOoOoOo

"What was she thinking?" Ron asked incredulously as he and Harry left the potions classroom and made their way down the corridor.

"Dunno mate, she sure shocked me." Harry said shaking his head. Ron was silent for a moment, Harry could clearly see he was thinking and as Ron didn't do that very much, Harry decided not to disturb him.

"Do you think it's my fault?" Ron asked quietly as they walked onto a staircase that shifted beneath them.

"What's your fault?" Harry asked trying to make sure he didn't fall over after the staircase jolted suddenly.

"Hermione. She would never storm out of Snape's classroom unless something terrible had happened. Do you think I was really unreasonable with her? Hell, she'd probably stay in there if the school was crumbling down if it meant she could finish her potion and get into Snape's good books." Ron laughed sadly. Harry looked at Ron and clapped him on the back reassuringly.

"Of course it wasn't your fault, she did it for attention. And no you were not unreasonable, she was awful to you. She was using you and I hate to say it but, I told you so." Harry told him smugly.

Ron made a grim face at him as they walked through the portrait hole and into the common room. Immediately, Ron saw Hermione curled up in the armchair near the fire. She was asleep, her face was decorated with a small smile and Ron thought she looked peaceful. Ron recognised the woman he had fallen in love with, her smile, her beauty and she way she always looked delicate and extremely fragile. All Ron wanted to do was protect her, he now realised he was using her as much as she was using him when they had got married, he was using her to feed his craving. His craving to have her love him as much as he loved her, he needed Hermione. Ron had talked himself into believing that the reason she wanted to marry him was because she loved him. It was like he was addicted to the prospect of Hermione's love for him, something which he knew deep deep down would never exist.

Harry watched his best friend lean over Hermione and kiss her on the forehead. He felt sorry for Ron, he knew that Hermione didn't love him in anything more that a brother and sister way. Harry also knew that Ron wasn't the one for Hermione. This morning Harry had been to visit the Headmaster and Harry had recieved some terrible news. News that he wan't able to share with anyone.

oOoOoOoOo

"Come in Harry, come in. Take a seat, lemon sherbet?" Dumbledore asked as he popped a luminous yellow sweet into his mouth. Harry declined and slumped into the chair opposite Dumbledore's desk, it was only nine am and already Harry felt exhausted. He blamed Ron and Hermione. Last night he had heard Ron close the door as he left their dormitory. Harry had immediately gotten up and stood at the top off the spiral staircase listening to Hermione and Ron argue. When Ron had walked up the stairs he had darted back to his bed and pretended to be asleep, he had spent most the night awake listening to the strangled sobs coming from the bed next to him. Harry felt sorry for Ron but he had warned him.

Harry was pulled out of his daydream as Dumbledore heaved a large crystal ball out of a box.

"Do you know what this is Harry?" Dumbledore asked solemnly, running his hand over the smooth crystal.

"Yes sir." Harry replied. It was a prophecy, he had one himself. He had seen it in the huge room at the Ministry where Sirius had been killed. Harry gulped back the painful memory of his dead relative and focused on Dumbledore.

"Very good. Would you like to know who's it is?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes."

"It is the prophecy of one Hermione Granger." Dumbledore told him and Harry stared at it, trying to make out the pictures floating around inside the glass sphere.

"Hermione? Why are you showing it to me?" Harry whispered.

"Because the events that take place in this prophecy also effect you and I want to warn you, so that when this time comes you will be prepared because we are going to need you to be ready and fighting fit to face whatever may come next."

"What events?" Harry asked quietly, did he really want to know? Did he really want to know what was going to happen in the future or even Hermione's future?

"Harry what I am about to tell you must not be relayed to your friends, especially Ron and Hermione. I want you to take an oath to promise that you won't tell anyone." Dumbledore said, he was the most serious Harry had ever seen him.

"I promise." Harry said as Dumbledore drew his wand and performed a wizard's oath. Once Dumbledore had finished he set his wand down and clasped his hands together.

"In the prophecy it says;" Dumbledore started as he rubbed the sphere three times anti-clockwise. A woman's voice echoed around the office, solemnly pronouncing each syllable.

"_The one with beauty, the one with brains,_

_the marriage will bind her fast in chains._

_Love does not exist for these, _

_he will die beneath the trees._

_The boy who lived next best companion,_

_She will change her worst opinion._

_Love will begin from many lies,_

_And finally bloom with many tries._

_But beware of ticking time, _

_it will be ended by an atrocious crime."_

Dumbledore looked at Harry.

"Do you understand?" Dumbledore asked.

"I think so." Harry said as he scrambled around on the desk for a piece of parchment and a quill. "So it's clear it is Hermione's prophecy, 'the one with beauty, the one with brains' and something about marriage. Ron and Hermione just got married, but they don't love each other, 'love does not exist'." Harry said as he jotted notes down on his piece of parchment.

"But what about 'he will die beneath the trees'?" Harry asked Dumbledore.

"I believe it means Ron." Dumbledore said sadly. Harry snapped his head up to stare at Dumbledore.

"No. It can't be." Harry whispered.

"I think you should let this sink in for a little while, why don't you come back when you want to go through it a little more?" Dumbledore said as he stood up and walked over to the door to open it. Harry nodded and walked out the door but turned around before Dumbledore had closed the door.

"It said 'love will start from many lies'. Does that mean Hermione is going to fall in love after Ron is...di...gone?" Harry asked, he couldn't quite bring himself to accept that Ron might die.

"Perhaps." Dumbledore told him as he closed the door.

oOoOoOoOo

Ron swallowed the tears he felt rising and shook Hermione slightly. He had been sat opposite her for nearly six hours watching as she slept peacefully. Ron had missed dinner so that he could watch Hermione and when Harry had returned from dinner to find Ron still gazing at Hermione he called Ron an 'idiot' and left him to moon over Hermione. The clock chimed seven and Ron realised that Hermione was missing her detention. He shook he softly and when she didn't wake up he shook her harder until she awoke to find Ron staring at her.

"'Mione. Your missing your detention with Snape." Ron told her frantically. Hermione glanced at the clock and rushed to the portrait hole. She turned back to see Ron watching her leave.

"Thanks Ron." Hermione said and smiled warmly at him. Hermione turned on her heel and sprinted as fast as she could to the dungeons. On the way she contemplated why Ron had been so nice to her. Maybe he had forgiven her for what she had done to him. Hermione realised that if Ron never spoke to her again then she probably deserved it for using him like that. Hermione was awoken from her daydream when she realised she had arrived outside Snape's classroom. She glanced anxiously at her watch before knocking on the door. Crap! She was ten minutes late, not good seeing as one of the reasons for getting the detention was her unusual tardiness.

Hermione knocked slowly three times. A silky 'enter' sounded through the door. Hermione hesitated for a second and then opened the door and stepped into the dark classroom.

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	10. The Detention

**I'm so sorry for the wait. I have been VERY busy. I've been auditioning for musicals lately and finally I got into one! YAY! I HOPE YOU ENJOY! :D **

Chapter Ten – The Detention

"Miss Granger, how nice of you to join me." Snape drawled not looking up from the essays he was furiously marking with huge amounts of green ink.

"I'm sorry sir. I fell asleep." Hermione told him as she walked towards his desk. Snape still didn't look up.

"I think perhaps you should have earlier nights, Miss Granger, if that is what it is going to take to make sure you are on time." Snape said snidely.

Hermione felt a swell in the bottom of her stomach that she expected was from anger. She was furious with him, how dare he suggest having earlier nights? It was his fault she was tired anyway!

"Perhaps you shouldn't be out so late at night, _Professor Snape,_ if that is what it is going to take for you to be in a healthy condition when you return to the school." Hermione spat suddenly, her anger momentarily blocking out her rational side.

Snape's head snapped up and his deep black eyes met with her brown ones. For a second Hermione forgot everything except those beautiful, never-ending black orbs. Hermione caught herself staring, broke off the eye contact and mentally shook herself. She aimed her eyes at the floor and she missed the smirk that played at the corner of Snape's lips.

"Sorry sir. That was out of line." Hermione mumbled, still looking at the floor.

"Indeed it was Miss Granger. I don't know who you think you're talking to in that tone of voice but I assure you that you will do well to remember that I am your Professor and you should have more respect than that for a Professor." Snape shouted.

"Sorry." Hermione mumbled again.

"Yes you seem to say that a lot but how do I know you mean it and it's not just lip service?" Snape inquired as he raised an eyebrow. "How about your punishment?"

"Huh!" Hermione said not very eloquently.

"You didn't think you could turn up to my lesson late, shout at me and then run out of my lesson and get away with it do you? What did you think you were going to do in a detention, make idle chit-chat with myself?"

"No but..." Hermione said.

"Good. Now in the cupboard there are some filthy cauldrons that I save especially for my detentions. I would like you to clean them and then when I am satisfied with your effort, you may leave." Snape smirked.

Hermione spun on her heel and stalked over to the cupboard and flung open the large cupboard doors. She was greeted with an avalanche of filthy, goopy cauldrons. Hermione was knocked over by the last cauldron and landed on her bum with a thump.

Snape snickered quietly, but loud enough for Hermione to hear it. When Hermione had turned to glare at her snarly Potions professor, he had his head bent over the essays he was marking.

Hermione groaned and stood up. She patted her robes down and felt a thick cold liquid stick to her hand, Hermione twisted the bottom of her robes around to find a dull purple potion sticking to her. The potion smelt foul and where the potion had come into contact with her hand there was a red rash developing.

Hermione pulled her wand and raised it up to cast a cleaning spell but before she could swish and flick a strong hand wrapped around her wrist. Hermione gasped in surprise.

"What do you think you're doing?" Snape hissed.

"Cleaning my robes of this filth." Hermione hissed back as she tugged her wrist out of Snape's strong grasp and cast a cleaning spell on her robes.

"I will have that." Snape told her as he snatched her wand from her hand after the potion had disappeared from Hermione's robes.

"What?" Hermione asked incredulously.

"You didn't think that I would let you use magic to clean the cauldrons now did you?" Snape asked sarcastically. Hermione narrowed her eyes at him but mumbled a quiet 'no'.

"Good." Snape told her as he spun on his heel and stalked back to his desk. He then used Hermione's wand to magic a rag and bucket of grey water in front of her, Snape smirked at the look on Hermione's face.

Hermione sighed heavily so that Snape could hear her and knelt down to dip the rag into the water and began to scrub away at the potion that was stuck fast to the rim of the cauldron.

"Damnable man….who does he think he is?...Making me clean these cauldrons...like a common house elf...no... like a slave." Hermione muttered to herself as she worked.

"Miss Granger, I suggest you keep your opinions inside that bushy head of yours." Snape snarled. Hermione reddened in anger but bit her tongue.

She turned back to the mountain of cauldrons she had to clean. How was she supposed to clean twenty-odd cauldrons before the end of this evening, surely this many would take her a week?

An hour later Hermione leant back against a table leg and sighed. She inspected the seven cauldrons she had scrubbed so clean that she could almost make out her reflection.

"Finished?" Severus drawled from behind her. Hermione jumped, she hadn't heard him move from his desk.

"Not quite." Hermione told him, she didn't have the energy to respond to Snape's snarly comments.

"You can go." Severus told her quietly.

"Huh?" Hermione asked ineloquently. Was he really letting her go?

"Leave." Severus repeated a little forcefully this time.

"Why?" Hermione asked, quite confused.

"Because I say so." Snape said impatiently. Hermione cocked her head to the side as she examined her potions professor with a little more detail. She could understand why some of the girls in her old dorm room - Lavender Brown mostly- had a slight crush on him. He was tall and lean, even though his body was hidden underneath a vast cascade of black robes. His skin on his face was a pale milky colour and it was so smooth any model would have been jealous, however as Hermione's eyes trailed down towards Snape's neck she could detect numerous silvery lines that Hermione guessed were scars.

Severus cleared his throat and Hermione was drawn out of her daydream. Her eyes snapped up to meet his own ones. Severus raised his eyebrow and a small smirk danced across his thin lips. Hermione spun on her heel and quickly walked out of the dungeon before he could change his mind about letting her go.

Hermione almost ran through the dungeon's corridors before she stopped. She had left her wand with Snape. Hermione almost considered leaving it with him but knew that she would need it over the weekend to either complete her homework or to do another task. Once again Hermione turned around again and stalked back towards the potions classroom. Hermione reached the door and knocked for, what seemed like, the one-hundredth time that day.

"Enter Miss Granger." Snape said knowingly. Hermione walked into the room and stalked towards Snape's desk.

"You still have my wand." Hermione said shortly.

"I believe I do." Snape told her cooly as he reached into his desk drawer and pulled out Hermione's wand. Hermione reached forward and pulled it from Snape's grasp. For a second their hands touched and Hermione's stomach jumped and flopped back down again. She could feel her face get hot, she looked up into the face of Snape and he raised an eyebrow inquiringly. Hermione pulled her hand away, angry at herself. Why had her body reacted like that towards the man she hated most in the world? She spun on her heel again and walked to the door but stopped and glanced back at Severus.

"You know what?" Hermione asked.

"What Miss Granger?" Snape asked in a tired voice, but really on the inside he was intrigued as to why she would want to be talking to the bat of the dungeons for any longer than was necessary.

"You haven't thanked me." Hermione told him.

"And what would I have to thank you for?" Snape asked, smirking.

"For saving your life."

Snape raised an eyebrow at her, but there was no smirk playing at the corners of the mouth like there had been before. Hermione shrugged and closed the door behind her as she walked out of the classroom.

"Thank you, Hermione. Thank you." Severus told the empty room.

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	11. The Trip To Hogsmeade

**I would like to apologise now for any mistakes made in the title, I do not speak Latin and therefore I used an online Latin translator (which I now have found out are COMPLETELY rubbish). So please ignore any mistakes and just pretend it is right! But enjoy the rest :D **

Chapter Eleven – The Trip to Hogsmeade

Hermione stared at her reflection. Her hair was for once cooperating and instead of the bushy mess it usually was it had curled into thick brown locks that framed her face nicely. She looked quite pretty today and even Hermione had to admit that she hadn't looked this nice since before Voldemort had crawled out from whatever rock he had been hiding beneath.

Hermione smiled and stood up. Not only was she happy with her agreeable reflection, she was also grateful that Ron had talked to her last night and to make her day a little better it was a Saturday. Hermione walked out of her private dorm room and made her way down the spiral staircase to the Gryffindor common room.

"Gosh Hermione! How long does it take for you to get ready in the mornings?" Ron asked teasingly as he stood up to hug Hermione.

"Pardon?" Hermione asked, a little taken aback. Hermione returned the hug.

"We've been waiting for nearly an hour for you so that we can go to breakfast together." Ron said beaming. Hermione smiled at how easily Ron forgot what had happened. Hermione glanced sideways at Harry who refused to make eye-contact with her. Hermione sighed but fixed a smile on her face and linked her arm though Ron and Harry's and marched them through the portrait hole and towards the Great Hall. Almost like old times, she thought as they laughed at Ron's joke, but behind their seemingly happy façades their secrets and troubles lurked unrelentingly.

Hermione swept away any lurking thoughts of what may befall them. She could feel it was going to be a good day and she intended to enjoy herself.

oOoOoOo

Severus Snape was in a dark mood as he stalked through the corridors, the students parting like the red sea in front of him. Not soon enough, he reached the Great Hall where he stalked up to the staff table and sank into his usual seat next to McGonagall.

"Good morning Severus." Minerva said happily.

"There is nothing 'good' about this morning, it is cold, the students are allowed to roam free and I have to accompany the imbeciles to Hogsmeade." Snape snapped as he grabbed a slice of toast.

Minerva tried to hide the smile that played across her lips, but Snape saw it and scowled icily at her. Minerva snorted in reply and turned her head to look at her plate. Over the many years that Minerva and Severus had known each other Minerva had learnt not to be offended by Snape's icy tone and instead she had come to be able to laugh at it. Something which Severus disliked immensely, which made it all the more funny.

"I'm glad someone finds my misfortune funny." Snape muttered coldly. Minerva's body jolted as she silently laughed again and turned to try and join in the conversation Flitwick was having beside her.

Severus' black eyes looked out over the sea of eager and giggly students. At that instant Hermione Granger threw her head back and laughed at something the Weasley boy had said, her usually bushy curls bouncing around her face merrily. Hermione's eyes met his as she looked towards the staff table and she held his gaze for a moment until she looked away again, blushing. Severus smirked to himself.

He had had students have a so called 'crush' on him before. Not that he would return the feelings, of course, but of all the students he had ever taught he never would have thought Hermione Granger would have a crush on him. Especially as this new 'crush' had seemed to have appeared over the last few days, perhaps her new husband hadn't been living up to her expactations. Severus smirked again. Next to him he saw Minerva rise from the table.

"Good-bye Severus. Have fun with the students today." Minerva smirked. Severus shot her an icy glare and stood up, towering over her.

"Oh, I will." Severus told her darkly. Minerva looked shocked for a minute, Severus couldn't tell if it was from his tone of voice or from the fact that Severus Snape had attempted to be funny. Severus smirked and stalked out of the room.

Severus stalked towards the courtyard where a gaggle of students were waiting to be taken to Hogsmeade. Snape loomed over them and their giggly moods evaporated as they wearily watched the 'bat' pace up and down.

oOoOoOo

Hermione, Ron and Harry walked out of the Great Hall. Hermione started to walk off in the direction of the Gryffindor common room and the boys started in the direction of the courtyard.

"Where are you going?" Ron and Hermione asked at the same time. They laughed slightly awkwardly.

"To the common room." Hermione told him.

"Harry, Ginny and me are going to Hogsmeade. Wanna come?" Ron asked as he wrung his hands. Hermione looked at Harry, but he was looking towards where Professor Snape was silently threatening the excited third years.

"Sure. Why not?" Hermione said. "But I need to go and grab my coat and purse. Don't you need to get yours?"

"Naw we got ours. We'll meet you back hear in a minute." Ron told Hermione as he fished around in his pocket and pulled out his magically shrunken over coat.

"Ok, see you in a minute." Hermione told them as she sprinted back to the Gryffindor common room and grabbed her red pea coat, cream hat, gloves and scarf and her purse. When she returned to the courtyard, Ginny was stood with Harry and Ron swaddled in numerous scarves and jumpers.

"Hi Ginny." Hermione said as she hugged her. An awkward silence loomed over the four young witches and wizards as they set off in the direction of Hogsmeade, followed closely by Severus Snape.

oOoOoOo

Severus watched as the Weasley boy made another stupid joke to try and break the obvious tension that hung around the usually irritatingly chirpy and happy group. He pulled his dark robes closer around himself, the snow had finally stopped falling but the temperature had plummeted. Severus was wary of the well-travelled path as the snow had turned into a dangerous icy slide that had already caused students three broken limbs and countless numbers of bruises. He was walking a little distance behind the group as he had no desire to even be close to the students on the weekend, especially one Harry Potter and his imbecilic friends.

"Severus." A high pitched voice called his name from the trees that bordered the sides of the path. He recognised the voice and knew he couldn't ignore the person. Severus looked forward to check that none of the students were watching and ducked into the trees.

"Bellatrix." Severus greeted coolly. His hand twitched towards the wand that was hidden in the folds of his robe.

"Do you know why I am here?" Bellatrix Lestrange asked. She was unusually calm and Severus was wary of her change of mood.

"I have an inclination." Severus lied, the truth was that he surprised -and not in a good way- by Bellatrix's visit and was totally unaware as to why a Lestrange would be visiting him on the weekend.

"I have a message from the Dark Lord, he says its time for you to carry out your task." Bellatrix informed him with a dark grin dancing across her face.

"The Weasley boy?" Severus asked incredulously. "This soon?"

"Yes. He wants it over and done with." Bellatrix grinned again, baring her blackened teeth.

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	12. The Killing Curse

**Sorry for the wait, I have been very busy recently and I couldn't find the time to finish this chapter but here it is.**

**I am sorry for the rather short chapter, originally it was all one chapter but it was quite long and where would the fun be if I hadn't left you with an evil cliff-hanger? ;D **

Chapter Twelve – The Killing Curse

Harry, Hermione, Ron and Ginny followed the rest of the students towards Hogsmeade. Hermione was getting bored of the stupid jokes Ron was telling but kept laughing along anyway.

"Hermione, are you ok?" Ginny asked sincerely.

"Of course, why do you ask?" Hermione replied.

"You just seemed to have been a little 'off' lately. Ron told me you ran out of Snape's lesson."

"Yeah I did, I thought I maybe could have gotten away with it but I had a detention from him anyway." Hermione's mind flashed back to after her detention, when she had gone back to retrieve her wand. She remembered how her treacherous body had reacted when their fingers had met. The memory had floated about in her head all night and this morning at breakfast she was sure that Snape was looking at her in a strange way. Maybe he had reacted in the same way.

Hermione mentally shook herself, of course he wouldn't have. He wouldn't be so stupid as to have a 'crush' on a student, if he even had any feeling at all inside that black clad chest. Hermione had been aware of the fact that Snape had been following the group from a small distance and Hermione turned around. But Snape wasn't there, so she stopped.

"Where is Snape?" Hermione asked Ginny as Ginny stopped next to her. The boys also stopped when Ginny tapped them on the shouder.

"I dunno Hermione. Don't worry, he probably turned into a bat and flew to Hogsmeade." Ron sniggered, Harry laughed but Hermione shot him an icy look.

"No, he was following behind a minute ago." Hermione persisted, she couldn't understand why she cared but she could feel something wasn't right. Hermione started back up the icy path, towards where she had last been aware that he was behind them.

oOoOoOo

"Was it the Dark Lord's idea for you to ambush him whilst they are on a school trip?" Snape asked the crazy woman in front of him.

"No, that was my idea." Bellatrix told him, grinning proudly. Severus shook his head.

Three other Death Eaters appeared through the trees and made their way towards Bellatrix and Severus. Severus recognised the new arrivals as Malfoy, Nott and Bellatrix's husband.

"Severus." Malfoy greeted him. Severus inclined his head to Malfoy and the other Death Eaters.

"Do you know what you have to do?" Nott asked.

"How could I forget." Severus sneered. Nott narrowed his eyes but said nothing.

Bellatrix's husband walked to the edge of the forest and looked towards the path where Hermione, Ron, Harry and Ginny were walking back towards them.

"It looks like this is your best chance, Snape." Lestrange smiled as he pointed towards the group walking towards them.

Snape watched as Hermione pointed to the woods where she could clearly see black cloaked figures standing out against the pure white snow. They started to run towards Severus and the group of Death Eaters.

Silently, Severus prayed to whoever was listening that they would somehow gain some common sense and run for their lives in the opposite direction. It seemed that no-one was listening to him as the foursome reached the edge of the trees.

Ginny gasped as she saw that Snape wasn't alone in the woods, he was surrounded by four Death Eaters. She grabbed Ron and Harry's arms and pulled them back behind her. Harry pulled himself out of her grasp and ran towards the Death Eaters with his wand out, making a clear beeline for Bellatrix.

"Harry." Severus called as Lestrange cast '_stupify_'. Hermione ran towards the crumpled figure that was Harry and Ginny followed. Snape swirled around so he had his wand pointed at Malfoy. Malfoy grinned at him but Snape kept the sneer on his face.

Ron and Snape backed further into the forest as Malfoy and Nott advanced on them, Hermione glanced around and saw Severus and Ron disappear from view into the forest. Hermione leapt up with her wand in hand and blocked the Lestrange and his wife's spells. Ginny was crouched over Harry trying to revive him.

oOoOoOo

"You are a stupid, stupid boy." Malfoy snickered as he lowered his wand slightly.

"No I'm not." Ron hissed back. Snape lowered his wand slowly but kept his eye on the two death eaters in front of him. Ron looked sideways at Snape, he jerked his hand with his wand in to show Snape to put his wand back up.

Nott laughed as Ron watched Snape walk towards Malfoy. Ron realised what he had refused to believe all this time; Snape was a death eater.

"You..." Ron stammered. He glanced sideways slightly to see if he could get the others' attention but they were too busy contending with the increasing force of Lestrange and Bellatrix's spells.

"Yes him. I'm not surprised he fooled you, a Weasley, because he's fooling Dumbledore as well." Malfoy laughed at Ron.

Ron looked from Malfoy to Snape as if he couldn't believe that Snape, as evil a teacher as he was, could be evil enough to be a death eater.

"Do it then." Nott hissed. "We haven't got all day, Severus."

Ron looked at Snape and gripped his wand tightly in his clammy, sweaty hand. Snape raised his wand at Ron.

"No, no..." Ron said as it dawned on him what Snape had to do.

"I'm sorry." Snape muttered to himself as he prepared the amount of hate needed to perform the killing curse. Snape thought of his father and Voldemort, of the way they had beaten and controlled him all his life. Finally he thought of James Potter, and how he had ruined his life, Snape blamed James for every minute he had spent as a Death Eater, if it wasn't for him he wouldn't have been here, right now, about to kill one of his students.

A green flashing light shot out the end of Snape's wand at the same time as he said "_Avada Kedavra._"

For Ron it all went black, but not before he could whisper four very important words "I love you Hermione."


End file.
